Translation guide
The English phrase "settle down" has several distinct meanings. This guide breaks them down into practical uses: becoming calm, starting a stable life, getting comfortable, and more. Japanese expressions vary widely depending on the intended meaning.
To stop being noisy, excited, or restless; to calm down.
The most common and natural way to say "settle down" in the sense of becoming calm. Used for people, situations, or atmospheres.
子供たちがやっと落ち着いた。
The children finally settled down.
興奮している観客を落ち着かせてください。
Please settle down the excited audience.
Means to become quiet or still. Often used for noise, wind, or commotion settling down.
嵐が静まった。
The storm settled down.
騒ぎが静まるまで待ちましょう。
Let's wait until the commotion settles down.
Transitive form meaning to calm someone or something down.
彼女は泣いている赤ちゃんを落ち着かせた。
She settled down the crying baby.
To begin living a quiet, steady life, often after a period of change or excitement; to get married and have a family.
Idiomatic phrase meaning to settle down, especially by getting married and establishing a stable life. Often used for men.
彼もそろそろ身を固める頃だ。
It's about time he settled down.
Also used for settling into a stable life or place. Can refer to finding a permanent home or job.
A common phrase specifically meaning to get married and settle down.
彼女は結婚して落ち着きたいと言っている。
She says she wants to get married and settle down.
To make oneself comfortable in a seat or location, often for a long stay.
Again, the versatile 落ち着く works for settling into a physical space and feeling at home.
ソファに座って落ち着いた。
I sat on the sofa and settled down.
Literally "set one's hips," meaning to settle oneself firmly in a place, often with determination to stay.
Means to relax or take it easy. Often used when inviting someone to settle down and stay a while.
どうぞ、ゆっくりしてください。
Please settle down and make yourself comfortable.
For particles in a liquid or loose material to sink to the bottom and become compact.
Technical/scientific term for sedimentation. Used for particles settling in a liquid.
濁りが沈殿するまで待つ。
Wait for the sediment to settle down.
General verb for sinking. Can be used for particles settling, but less precise than 沈殿する.
砂が水の底に沈んだ。
The sand settled down to the bottom of the water.
For a situation, weather, or condition to become stable and predictable.
Works for situations becoming stable, such as weather or a chaotic period ending.
天気がやっと落ち着いた。
The weather has finally settled down.
政局が落ち着くまで待つ。
Wait until the political situation settles down.
Means to become stable. Often used for economic or social conditions.
物価が安定してきた。
Prices have settled down.
To stop being distracted and start concentrating on work or a task.
Means to concentrate. Often used when telling someone to settle down and focus.
さあ、集中して仕事に取りかかろう。
Come on, let's settle down and get to work.
Literally "settle one's mind/spirit," meaning to calm down and focus.
気を落ち着けて試験に臨む。
Settle down and face the exam.
The English phrase "settle down" cannot be translated word-for-word into Japanese. The meaning depends heavily on context. Using a single Japanese word for all cases will often sound unnatural.
The verb 落ち着く (おちつく) covers many meanings of "settle down," including calming down, settling into a place, and situations stabilizing. It's a safe choice in many contexts.
子供たち、落ち着きなさい！
Settle down, kids!
身を固めて家庭を持ちたい。
I want to settle down and have a family.
数時間でほこりが静まった。
The dust settled down after a few hours.
都会の生活に疲れて、田舎に落ち着きたい。
I'm tired of city life and want to settle down in the countryside.
彼は小さな町に落ち着いて、家族を持った。
He settled down in a small town and started a family.
Literally "settle one's hips," meaning to settle down in a place for a long time, often after moving around.
彼は日本に腰を落ち着けて、仕事を始めた。
He settled down in Japan and started working.
He settled down in the chair and started reading a book.